The present invention relates generally to elasticized knitted bands and, more particularly, to such bands of a turned welt construction utilized in pantyhose and like garments.
In recent years, ladies' pantyhose garments basically a combination panty and pair of stockings unitarily formed, have become widely popular throughout the United States and elsewhere throughout the world, virtually eliminating the previously conventional use of individual stocking and garter belts or like stocking supporters. Conventionally, pantyhose garments are basically formed of a pair of tubular hosiery blanks typically knitted on a conventional circular hosiery knitting machine. Each hosiery blank is slit longitudinally at one end and the raw fabric edges exposed by the slits are seamed together along a generally U-shaped seam line.
While pantyhose garments of the above-described type provide markedly enhanced convenience and comfort to the wearer, one of the perceived problems in conventional pantyhose garments is the tendency of the typical elasticized waistband to slip down the waist and hips of the wearer, particularly as a result of bending, stooping and other moderate to strenuous physical movements many women perform repeatedly in ordinary day-to-day domestic and work activities. Typically, the elasticized waistbands of most pantyhose garments are of a conventional two-ply turned welt knitted construction having elasticized yarn, commonly a covered or uncovered latex orother elastomer yarn, knitted in single jersey stitch construction in the welt fabric. Conventional wisdom has been to address the foregoing problem by constructing the welt waistband with a more constricting and tightly-fitting elasticity to resist slippage. However, while such waistbands of course better remain in place during wearing, slippage nevertheless continues to occur and, moreover, the waistbands often tend to uncomfortably bind and constrict the wearer's waist.